By Christie Doyin
I don’t seem to know how to explain this and I hope I’m not the only one going through this phase. When I told a friend I’m becoming obsessed and paranoid about this Corona virus pandemic, all she could say was she’s becoming more frightened by the day.
You see, I am beginning to have what I have decided to call Coroparanoidphobia Virus and it’s more scary than the Corona virus itself.
Someone told me it could be as a result of a condition she said she read somewhere which the writer called ‘Coronavirus fatigue’, I don’t know what that is, I know fatigue and I have read so much on Corona virus that I’m almost becoming a doctor with specialities in corona virus treatment.
There are several conditions I had hitherto experienced without giving it more attention because I know they are conditions associated with my lower back and heart issues but now, they have kept me awake and troubled. These days, I tend to take any slight cough, sneeze or claim of headache too much to heart that my health is badly being affected. I thought I was alone in this until I spoke with some friends and family members in Lagos and even outside the country.
When they shared their experiences and reactions, I know for reality that too much fear of the Corona virus is the beginning of another ailment. Paranoid. I wouldn’t want to blame myself or anyone feeling the way I do considering the horrific stories and the alarming figures of infection, death and all across the world. They are scary, aren’t they? Anyway, to me, they are very scary and I’m yet to listen to a strong persuasive voice to convince me not to worry or be alarm.
The stories in Kwara state is mind burgling, especially with the releases and denials from government quarters. I just find it difficult trusting the news streams but my mind. Family and friends have besieged my social media enclave with different analogies, claims and antidotes. Indeed, I’ve more or less become a mama alagbo to my friends and neighbours, because once I see some concoction suggested, pronto, I’m preparing it and sharing. I’m obsessed, yes call it that but I’m sure none is ready to die when you know you can fight death off to an extent.
Often though, when alone, I wondered if the stories we are being fed with are not farces, if the figures being rolled out daily are not meant to just drive some fears into us. Just on Sunday, a friend came calling to my house and I insisted on hand washing with soap and a jar of sanitiser at hand. Indeed, I asked my friend to wash the footwear and face but she asked if I was okay.
She told me of her experience where she went to buy things at challenge. She narrated her encounter with a group of traders whom she asked why they weren’t wearing facemask or keeping social distance. Those she spoke with told her in clear tones that “we are only being deceived” others in clear term said, “won fi wa pawo ni” we are being used to make money. That is, government is deceiving us and we are being used to make money. To imagine I’m becoming paranoid over the pandemic and some are treating it as nothing.
I begin to wonder if our reactions, general attitude by both the literate and the unlettered as well as the treatment we are prescribing from across the globe for the scary Covid-19 are not worse in sentencing the people to death than the disease it self.
Believe me, I have issues with my lower back, my heart condition among others but out of fear resulting from the stories and news flying all around, I have refused to go to hospital for my routine checkup and other treatments, I also found it rather difficult taking my mother, who in any case doesn’t like going to hospital, for treatment because of fear of contracting the virus.
I know I’m not alone in this, I have heard and read of many people avoid going to hospitals because of fear that they might become infected with Covid-19. Some with serious ailments have died from these ailments rather than from the CONVID 19 itself. This is because when they eventual go to the hospital, it is rather too late for anything to be done. Private hospitals are even doing well, while government hospitals are the worst hit.
As a result of fear, cancer patients refused to go for the much needed lifesaving treatment required. But then, hospitals are not helping matters too, they turned back ill patients because they are also afraid of contracting the virus. Any person that looks ill or suffering from one ailment or the other, especially malaria or fever is now a Covid-19 suspect. The whole society is consumed by the fear of coronavirus, so I’m not alone in this paranoia feeling. Obviously, it is apparent that there will be more serious cases being hidden for fear of being labelled CONVID 19 suspect. As a matter of fact, patients of HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, diarrhoea diseases, cancer and so on are quietly increasing because all attention and our scarce resources are diverted to the fight against Covid-19. Bed spaces and even whole hospitals have being commandeered for CONVID 19 cases and many of those initially on the hospital beds have been asked to go home or of their own volition opted to go home rather than contract the novel virus.
When we look at the general resultant effect, we will see that the world economy has been badly affected and in retrospect, it’s a no-no to us, Orthodox healthcare is taking back seat and giving room to native herb sellers who may not have antidotes but are ready to scam or silently kill the people with their unhealthy and unmeasured doses. Businesses have collapsed or gradually so, workers are owed or relieved of their jobs, loans are affected in more ways than one for those that had taken loans or those looking forward to do so for one business or another. It’s all sad, sad stories to tell.
These effects will be with us for a long time to come, that’s what a friend told me. Look at the entertainment industry, that has the likes of musicians, actors/actresses, the hospitality industry like hotels and event centres are all affected one way or the other. I wouldn’t want to check into a hotel not knowing the status of the last user of the room I’m checking in to. Are people holding parties anymore? It’s a ripple effect honestly. Schools, many offices, malls and other outlets are shut down, people were locked in for several weeks, artisans, bricklayers, mechanics, petty traders who hitherto go out daily to look for food for their families terribly devastated.
The other day, I was going to take ‘pure water’ and I had to buy an extra one from the hawker to wash the one I was going to drink.
Incidentally, I’m stuck at home with my mother who came when she was Ill weeks before Nigeria experienced the virus, my granddaughter that came to spend a midterm holiday and who is seriously missing her parent and sibling and I’m helpless, no palliative, no food and no pay. If one is not strong willed or for the religious, strong believers, the option would have been suicide as there is nowhere to run to.
I’m sure there will be many cases of depressions, high blood pressure that could result in cardiac arrest, mental breakdowns and more suicide attempts or outright suicide cases in the coming months and years, it is just in a matter of months before the realisation of it all dawn on us.
No one is left out! The rich, the poor, educated, illiterates, employers and employees, private and public enterprises, no one and no organisation would come out and remain the same again.
In one of my chats with friends, their take is that it is good the fear of the virus cut across social status and levels and not limited to Nigeria or Africa else our political leaders and the well-to-do would have ran out of the country either for good or until after the pandemic.
No social or public relations, not even with families or old friends, sadly, you cannot make new friends because you have to observe social distancing and isolation. The stigmatisation is another. No one wants to go near you because there may be leftover of the virus in you.
I read somewhere that many of us might have it already without realising it, this they called asymptomatic. It could be that a large percentage of people might have already contracted it showing few symptom or without showing any at all.
There are videos that are viral on social media showing lives that otherwise would have been saved being lost, not to the virus but to the fear of the virus and paranoia.
A lady died in Lagos recently because when she had an attack, probably from long use of her mask in her air conditioned car, but an ambulance on same route refused to assist despite pressure and appeals because the driver was scared of contracting the virus. And she died!
The best to do now is to maintain social distancing, which may be a bit difficult for those living in populated buildings or areas as well as those using elevators or boarding okada or other public transports, increase the hygiene of your premises and self, keep washing your hands and bath regularly. Use of face mask must be when you’re in a crowded place and must be worn properly. Improve on healthy living n food, exercise from time to time though there is need to avoid such exercises that could be harmful to you. Eat immunity boosting food and take plenty fluid, don’t become obsessed and stop being a paranoid.
*Doyin writes from Ilorin via e-Mail: cdoyin@yahoo.com
